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ZAIN Project
The ZAIN Project ( ) is a central concept from both the Strider Hiryu manga and its NES adaptation, as well as the main reason for both Hiryu and Kain's fight against Enterprise and Matic. The project codenamed "ZAIN" was initiated and has been under development for atleast 30 years by the bussiness organization Enterprise and its director, Faceas Clay. Faceas Clay has been keeping the project in total secrecy, as he plans to use it to control all humanity and take the throne of a god. The ZAIN machine is a brainwashing weapon. Through a small radio transmiter implanted on the neck, the machine is able to manipulate the subject by sending a certain kind of electric wave into an area of the brain known as "Crocodile's Area", from where the most basic behaviors can be issuedWada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 70. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.. In this way, ZAIN destroys the mind and forces the subject into acting out of instinct rather than reason. Development History Discovery Initial research into the human mind led to the discovery of a mysterious area of the brain, which controls the most primitive of human behaviors such as "eat", "sleep", "kill" or "escape". This area hidden deep within human subconscious was christened the "Crocodile's Area" ( ), comparing it to a Black Crocodile hiding in a swamp awaiting for a prey to attack. Following this discovery, a scientist from the "Central Control Organization" (Enterprise's legal name) was able to streamline the body's natural electric current into this section, and discovered it tuned to a certain kind of radio wave. By directing this radio waves into the brain, it was possible to control basic actions in human subjects, though perfect control was considered impossible, since the human brain isn't yet fully understood and there exists many mysteries about its workings. This led into the creation of a computer system and transmiters capable of broadcasting these radio waves. Effects on subjects , the end result of the incomplete brainwashing process.]]Once implanted on the subject, the transmiter exchanges the body's electric current with radio signals from ZAIN, generating hallucinations in the subject's mind. This creates a sense of alienation and solitude, which evolves into a fear of inminent death, a deep paranoia where everyone is plotting to kill him; and finally a state of rage, violence and bloodlust. This hallucinations are permanent, causing a total loss of sanity in the subjects.Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 82. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5. The process is eventually irreversible, turning the subject into a shell of its former self, a zombie-like being who can barely move, grunt and swing whatever they hold in their hands at perceived threats. If the transmiter is damaged or disabled in time, however, this can be prevented and the subject comes back to their normal self after a short time. Receiving a fatal injury can also break the mind control and bring the subject back to normal, as seen briefly before Mariya's death. Enterprise continued conducting experiments in an attempt to perfect the process and achieve full control of the subject's mind without destroying it. Technology Enterprise developed specific technology in order to transmit and conduct the radio waves of ZAIN in a way that'd allow them to control the subject's mind. Transmiters A radio transmiter was developed in order to conduct ZAIN's radio waves into the brain. The first models are small pea-shaped interfaces that need to be implanted through surgery into the subject's neck, leaving a noticeable bump. A second model was developed by the director of the Kazakh Federation Mental Institute. It's called a "bullet-type" due to its shape, and can easily be implanted using air guns.Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 81. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5. Further research on the bullet-type implant was halted folowing Hiryu and Kain's infiltration and destruction of the building. Research on the original model continued and it appears eventually managed to perfect the mind control, with the Host Computer going through an upgrade process to allow it to control anyone on Earth who has been implanted.Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 5, Pg. 162. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5. ZAIN Terminals To expand the effective range of the project's mind-control ability, various stations known as ZAIN Terminals are installed in different parts of the world. These terminals are all interconnected as a network of relay computers and are dependant of the "Main Tree" to operateWada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 114. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.. Likewise, destroying them has little impact, and the project remains active as long as the Main Tree is operational.Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 6, Pg. 188. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5. Although several are said to exist all over the world, only a select few are actually known in each adaptation. List of known Terminals References Category:Technology Category:Manga Content